Universal Design & Accessibility

Universal Design (UD) is the concept of producing or creating content, services, and other environments that aid, assist or comfort specific groups (people with disabilities, non-native English speakers, or those from marginalized communities, for example) but that also benefit everyone. In the context of course and curriculum design, this is achieved by proactively incorporating inclusive, usable and accessible elements into all aspects of a course.

Universal Design for Learning specifically promotes the development of curriculum that includes multiple means of representation, multiple means of action and expression, and multiple means of engagement.

VIDEO – Quality Education is Accessible (2:44)

In this audio-described video, students with a variety of disabilities explore what accessible instruction means to them.

UNIVERSAL DESIGN – BEST PRACTICES/TIPS AND TRICKS

There are questions you should consider as you build your Canvas course site:

Can low vision and blind users access written image descriptions?
Can low vision and blind users utilize audible output (i.e. products called screen readers that read web content using synthesized speech) to interpret digital content?
Are videos or other audible media captioned for those users who are deaf or whose first language is not English?
Are you using slang, idioms, or language that may be confusing to those whose first language is not English, or that may be exclusionary to certain communities?
Does content reflect diversity or does it convey a bias to one culture, ethnicity or gender over others?
Is the online course content simple to navigate?
Is your content usable if the person does not have sight? What about if they do not have hearing? Or is color blind? Or cannot process heavy amounts of text quickly?

When you work to satisfy these issues, you make your content more easily consumable for all students. For example, closed captioned videos help students whose first language is not English. Using heading styles to structure Canvas pages or documents makes them navigable by screen readers, but also highlights topics and sub-topics clearly so sighted students can comprehend the text more efficiently. When you build accessibility into your course from the beginning, you may not need to modify your course in the event of a federally-mandated accommodation request.

Ways to Make Your Course Inclusive & Accessible

Create a welcoming environment for all students, and avoid stereotyping.
Set clear expectations for the course as a whole and for assignments, and keep academic standards consistent for all students. Consider including a straightforward grading rubric.
Include a disability statement in your syllabus that communicates students who are seeking accommodations need to work with Disability Resources for Students. Be sure to provide accurate contact information for DRS. DRS has provided an example syllabus statement on their website.
Consider the accessibility of an electronic textbook before selection, and post your book information via the UW Bookstore at least two months before the quarter starts. Is a textbook available in multiple formats? Is there an electronic version already available? Please note, electronic does not inherently mean accessible. A screen reader user and keyboard user should be able to navigate an eBook.
Apply consistent organizational structure to your course pages when creating content.
- Use Heading, Sub-heading and Paragraph Styles in the rich content editor.
- Use vertical lists (like this one, rather than lists within a sentence) where applicable for easier comprehension and navigation, such as assignments or readings.
Ensure text in documents can be highlighted, copied and pasted.
- Image-based PDF files may need to be converted. UW Disability Resources for Students will assist with conversion for accommodation requests. Faculty, students and staff can use the free online conversion tool to turn one file type (image PDF) into another (text selectable PDF) at tinyurl.com/uw-doc-convert.
Include text descriptions for all graphics and pictures.
- Use alternate text or “alt text” descriptions when embedding image content in the rich content editor.
Ensure that video files have closed captioning and audio files have a transcript.
Review the Online Course Accessibility Checklist for more information.
Review Equal Access: Universal Design of Instruction for more information.

Additional UW Resources for Accessibility

UW-IT Accessible Technology Services (ATS) provides services that can help you with accessibility of your websites, software, video, and other technologies. To inquire about or receive services from ATS, drop by the Access Technology Center in Room 064 of Mary Gates Hall, call 206-685-4144 (voice/TTY), or send an email message to help@uw.edu.

Accessibility Guidelines at the UW

UW-IT Accessible Technology Services (ATS)

Disability Resources for Students

Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology (DO-IT)

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UNIVERSAL DESIGN – FAQ

What is alt text, and how do I add it to images in my Canvas course?

Alternative (alt) text provides a textual alternative to non-text content in web pages. This text will be read aloud to a person using a screen reader.

By default, when adding an image to Canvas, the image name is included as the alt text, which should be changed to something more descriptive when embedding images.

Learn how to embed images in Canvas using the Rich Content Editor and how to add alt text.

How do I turn on the high contrast setting in Canvas?

The User Settings page hosts a feature option called a High Contrast Style. When enabled, this feature offers higher contrast in buttons, tabs, and other areas throughout Canvas, making those items more distinct and easier to identify. Learn how to enable this feature for instructors and TAs and for students.

How do I give a student additional time or attempts when taking a Canvas quiz?

Quizzes allow instructors to moderate a quiz for individuals requiring more time or who need multiple attempts. Learn how to grant extra time or attempts in a quiz.

How do I incorporate accessible pdf files into Canvas?

Portable Document Format (PDFs) should be created as accessible documents. Most commonly, PDFs are created from Word documents. If you do not have the original source file for a PDF document, you can tag the PDF to help with accessibility.

Additional guidelines and links:

I don’t create my PDFs posted to Canvas, but get them from a publisher. Who’s responsible for accessibility in this case?

You are. While we would hope publishers would make accessible content, if they don’t, liability falls on you (and/or the University of Washington) for selecting and requiring accessible content. This is why it’s important to ask about accessibility and compatibility with assistive technology prior to selecting a textbook and/or instructional technology.

What do I do if I’m using a third party integration within Canvas that is not as accessible as I would like?

Unfortunately, as integrations are created by third-party developers, Canvas cannot always ensure that these integrations meet the same standards that core Canvas is held to. If you are encountering accessibility issues with a third party integration within Canvas, please contact help@uw.edu for assistance.